Gandeys Circus is a premier circus based in the UK with a worldwide reputation for nearly 100 years now. Gandey have got an incredible array of international award-winning artists and is one of the fastest growing shows in the world. The Gandey family has a long history of circus performance dating back to the late 1800s with wild west acts known as The Montanas and The Colorados appearing in Bostock and Wombwell Circus and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows. The more recent productions; Chinese State Circus, Spirit of the Horse, Cirque Surreal and Great Circus of Europe.
The Gandey family can trace back their history to the early 1800s, to the family of the renowned Frank Bostock of ‘Bostock and Wombwell’ fame/ and still reside close to Leek, the family town in Staffordshire.
In the late 1800s the family were known to be performing their ‘western games and pastimes’ act as ‘The Montanas’. Phillip Gandey became the youngest Circus Director at the age of 17 after his father, Joe, who was Bob’s son, died in 1973 and took over Gandey’s circus.”
The 1980s was an important decade for Gandeys Circus, as they diversified into the powerhouse they are today.
The company started to create television productions, theatre shows, ice shows and product launches.
Who founded Gandeys Circus?
Founder Bob Gandey
In the 1910s Gandeys Circus was founded by Robert (Bob) Gandey. Bob Gandey was born in 1894 and was the second generation of the family which was involved in the show business and founder of Gandeys Circus.
At the age of nine Bob Gandey started to train ponies with Lord George Sanger’s Circus. By the time he was fifteen he was an accomplished rider and was touring the UK with a Buffalo Bill show.
Throughout Bobs life he continuously trained domestic animals including Shetland Ponies, Mules, Geese, and Sheep not only for his own act but also for Blackpool Tower Circus, Tom Arnold’s Circus, pantomime shows and television.
Between 1910 and 1920 Bob performed under various aliases which were Arther Jack, Robert Gandey and The Colorado Kid presenting comedy mules and ponies he trained. In 1911, Bob met Rose. She came from Brighton and was performing at the Marina Lowestoft.
In 1912 Bob and Rose got married in Manchester, they arrived at the registry office on horseback. Rose then joined the Montana troupe, which then began touring theatres with his horse ‘Snowball’, ponies and mules, and Western skills. In 1916 Bob and Rose had a son, Phillip who is known as Joe, who also join the family act and later became Jo-Jo the clown.
The War
During the First World War the Gandey family continued to appear in a variety of shows around the country. They travelled under canvas in a single mast tent using a tree trunk as a king pole. They entertained mostly children in villages, often walking their ponies to and from the venue to increase attention to their show.
In 1918, they had their own circus tent.
During the 1920s founder Bob Gandey was part of the North Western Troupe of Cowboys of Colorado and as well as touring theatres, he was presenting the Gandey’s Comedy Circus in fairground sideshows. (photo of the newspaper 1926).
Later on Tuesday 23rd March 1937 Bob Gandey’s Comedy Circus was billed as the “Funniest Act in Vaudeville”
Between 1940 and 1945 during World War Two, Gandey’s Circus was hired by the government for twelve weeks as part of the Holidays at Home initiative. At this time Joe met his wife Mary Kennerley. Although Mary did not come from a family of performers, she joined the family act and forged a career for herself including an aerial act with Michael Gerbola as The Kusicks.
Post War
Joe and Mary had two sons, Michael and Phillip. Michael initially joined the family business as the Ringmaster, but soon left for a career outside the circus, while Phillip and Carol Gandey later took on the running of the family business.
In 1952, Bob Gandey presented the Big Top Circus and a year later, ages only 58 he passed away, leaving the circus to his son Joe and his wife Mary. The show become a small family circus with the reputation for good value and high quality.
Joe ran Gandey’s Circus and Royalls Miniature Circus until his death 1973, when his son Phillip became Britain’s youngest director of a Circus in Britain at the age of seventeen.
In 1954 Norman Barrett worked for shows like Robert Gandey’s Circus.
Bob Romanoff’s professional career took off from a three week stint working with Joe Gandeys Circus as a clown during the day, whilst working as an operating theatre technician at the local hospital at night. This resulted in local and national publicity, including a half page in the ‘Daily Mirror’ which brought attention to Bob Romanoff and Joe Gandeys Circus.
In the 1980’s, Gandey’s Circus teamed up with Tycross Zoo and PG Tips to present the TV Chimps live on stage.
In 1996, Gandeys Circus took on the Chinese State Circus as they toured the UK and in 1999 Phillip Gandey made history when he took the first ever circus to Saudi Arabia.
New Generation
In 2015 Gandeys Circus went back to its roots with Spirit of the Horse, which presented a modern version of the wild west horse show, based on equestrian skills. Today the circus is run by Phillip Gandey and Carol Gandey with their daughters Hayley and Mariska as directors.
In recent years Phillip and wife Carol have created a cutting edge reputation for creativity which has enabled to realize the most unusual requirements, including a lavish ice show in the middle of Saudi Arabian Desert, Europe’s largest and most spectacular equestrian show Spirit of the Horse.
Gandeys have the experience to operate in the most complex countries including those in the Middle East, China, Africa and member state of the former Soviet Union. Creating a unique world class show for FIFA World Cup 2022 Doha and AIA Carnival Hong Kong.
